Electric-lighting system.



W. L. BLISS.

ELECTRIC LIGHTING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.24. 1912.

1 ,26 1,3417. Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

I 3 KJ MAJ N FW 1 m iw 1 If i M w 3w, 0 HQ M 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM L. BLISS, OF'NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO U. S. LIGHT & HEAT CORPORATION, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, A

CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

unaware-LIGHTING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters ratent PatentedApr. 2, 1918.

\ To all whom it may concern:

Be it lmown that I, WILLIAM L. BLrss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Niagara Falls, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric-Lighting Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawsuitable source.

ing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to. electric lighting systems.

It has among its objects to provide an improved electric lighting system especially adapted touse. in connection withsteam, electric or other trains. A further object of myinvention is to provide improved means for controlling the circuit connections of the taillights, or lights upon the rear of the last'car of the train: Other objects and advantages of my improved construction will hereinafter appear.

In order that my invention may be fully and clearly disclosed, I have diagrammatiqcally illustrated one embodiment of the same in the accompanying drawings.

The train shown comprises a plurality of cars 1 and 2 each having electric lamps 3 supplied with energy from a battery 4 through suitable conductors 5, 6. Obviously, however, energy may be supplied from any Tail lamps 7 upon the ends of each of these cars are connected in a branch of the lighting circuit 5, 6 at a point beyond the point where the lamps 3 for lighting the interior of the car are connected. In my improvement I use a source of fluid supply such as the univer sally used air or signal pipe 8 to control the circuit connections of these tail lamps 7.

Switches are provided in each of the branch circuits containing the tail lamp 7. These switches include a movable contactor 9 adapted to bridge stationary contacts 10 and normally held in contact therewith by means of a coiled spring 11. In a preferred form pistons 12 are provided on the lower ends of these contactors and the said pistons and springs are inclosed in cylinders 13. Each of these cylinders 13 is connected through a pipe 14 with the air pipe 8 at a point outside of the valves 15 usually provided in said pipe at the opposite ends of each car. The operation of'my improved system is as, follows:

As is well known, all of the valves 15 except the last valve on the train are opened during the use of the train so that the air supply may extend throughout the length of the train. Assuming then that all these valves are open except the last valve, the air pressure in the pipe 8 is accordingly free to force up all of the pistons 12 except the one at the end of the train. In the up position of these pistons the circuits of their respective tail lamps are broken at the stationary contacts 10. However, since the last cylinder is connected to the air pipe at a point outside the valve, no air pressure will be supplied to this cylinder. Accordingly the spring 11 will be free to force the piston downward and thus maintain the circuit connections for the taillamps 7.

I am thus able to provide a system of lighting tail lamps which requires no special attention from the trainmen since thetail lamps are automatically lighted asthe air system is prepared for service. Further, since the operation of the system is in no way dependent on the number of cars in the train, this system is equally well adapted to service in connection with trains comprising a plurality of cars or in connection with the lighting of a single car. It is to be noted that the system acts automatically to provide lights upon the end of the train whether new cars are added to the train or whether certain of the cars thereof are uncoupled therefrom. Further, since the tail lamps are in a branch circuit, the cutting in or out of the tail lamps does not in any way interfere with the lighting of the interior of the car. It is further to be noted that by the provision of the tail lamps upon the ends of each car the system is also very flexible since the cars may be turned end for end without in any way interfering with the operation of the same.

form of my invention in order to clearly and fully disclose the same, it is to be understood that the embodiment described herein is susceptible of modification.

What I claim .aS new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In an electric train lighting system,

be connected together and to said source,

valves connected with the fluid ressure pipe at each end of each car, an e ectric signal lamp on each car, a circuit for each of said lamps, and a fluid pressure operated switch for each lamp, said switches being connected to said fluid pressure pipes on the respective cars between the valves of said car and the adjacent end of the car, whereby when a plurality of fluid pressure pipes of adjacent cars are coupled together in series all but the rear switch will be connected to said fluid pressure source to be operated thereby.

3. In an electric train lighting system, a signal lamp for each car, an electric circuit for each lamp, and a switch normally closing each of said circuits, a train pipe and means responsive 'to the normal operation of said train pipe for opening all but one of said switches.

4. In a car, a lighting system, fluid pressure supply means, said means being provided with a valve adjacent to each end thereof, and fluid operated controlling means for certain lights of said system connected to said supply means outside of said valves.

5. In a car, electric lights, fluid pressure supply means adapted to be connected to similar means on other cars, valves in said means adjacent to the ends thereof, and a fluid operated controller for certain of said lights connected to said means outside of one of said valves.

6. In a car, fluid pressure supply means provided with a valve ad'acent to each end, lights, and light-contro ling means connected to said supply means outside of said valves.

7. In combination, a plurality of cars, each provided with pressure supply means adapted to be connected to ether and to a source of ressure, two va ves controllin each of said means, connections to each 0 said means outside of said valves, and a light controlled by each of said connections.

8. In combination, a plurality of cars each provided with pressure supply means adapted to be connected together to form a line and to a source of pressure, a valve in each of said means adjacent to each end thereof, each-of said valves except the last of the line being normallv open, the last valve being normally closed, and pressure-o erated light controlling devices connecte to each of said ineans outside of said valves.

9. In an'electrical train lighting system, a plurality of signal light controlling mechanisms, a train pipe connecting with said mechanisms, and means responsive to the normal operation of said train pipe for causing one of said mechanisms to operate diflerently from the other mechanisms.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM L. BLISS.

Witnesses:

S. J. CALLAHAN,

WM. A. TURBAYNE. 

